This invention relates to data recording and in particular to a novel improved jacket for a multiple recording disk array, and associated methods.
Workers in the art of generating and/or utilizing magnetic recording media are aware that it can take various forms. One form, currently enjoying considerable favor, is the "flexible disk", which can serve as a "unit record" for data processing, is compact, light, and is readily transported, stored, and handled, interchangably with other such disks. As workers know the flexible, or "floppy", magnetic disk can be fashioned from the same polyester sheet material as magnetic tape (e.g., the familiar polyethylene terephthalate), with a magnetic coating thereon--this plastic being simply cut into the shape of a circular disk with a central mounting hole to accommodate the familiar rotary-drive spindle. Such a "prior art" floppy disk is well known to workers and is shown in FIG. 1.
Such magnetic memory disks are typically packaged as a cartridge with a container envelope to protect the disk from accumulation of dust and various contaminants and from damaging contact with foreign bodies. This envelope, or jacket, normally includes a central aperture giving access to the disk's center hole for engagement with rotary drive means such as normally included in known disk file equipment. Other apertures are provided in such a jacket to allow access for the magnetic transducer assembly whereby the disk's various data tracks are read and written on. A related known type of cartridge with such a memory disk is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,668,658, 3,815,150 and 3,678,481. A related jacket construction is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,864,755, another in FIG. 2 hereof.
The present invention is directed toward improving the design of such cartridges and adapting their jacket for packaging and containment of multi-disk packs (e.g., of "floppy disk packs") and for associated manipulation thereof with automatic disk file equipment. These cartridges are, according to this invention, preferably adapted to facilitate insertion into such equipment, as well as to accommodate the automatic opening and spreading of the jacket, and the selective rotation of the pack therein, along with the automatic partitioning of the pack (to expose any selected disk surface for transducer access and recording operations) --these functions preferably being facilitated with minimal modification of conventional equipment, as described hereinafter.
Workers will recognize that it is novel to provide such a multi-disk cartridge and that it is particularly new to provide such protective jackets which are so adapted for use with automatic disk file equipment. Workers will recognize that prior art jacket means are not adequate to provide for proper containment and manipulation (--especially the partitioning--) of a flexible disk pack; in particular, they have not contemplated any associated jacket spreading arrangements or any jacket structures accommodating such. Nor have workers contemplated jackets for more than one floppy disk, or jackets which are relatively self-sealing (e.g., vs. intrusion of dirt), and which, accordingly must also accommodate "spreading" means or the like to open the way for head insertion, etc.
More particularly, workers have not heretofore contemplated a relatively simple multi-disk jacket like that of the invention--one that is adapted for use with relatively conventional disk file equipment, and that will, nonetheless, accommodate a hole-encoded disk pack and associated manipulations, such as pack-partitioning and disk selection by automatic equipment.
Workers will recognize the unique advantages and surprising results achieved with "floppy disk pack" jackets provided according to the invention. For instance, they will acknowledge that floppy disks are relatively vulnerable, especilly when transcribed, transported and handled as a computer "unit record" and stand in need of the protection such jackets afford.
But flexible disks are usually not as reliable or as durable as workers would like. The thin, compliant plastic disk is relatively fragile and rather vulnerable to many common physical hazards, such as sliding contact or impact with a sharp edge, like a head-carriage, a "separator knife" or acccess arm on disk handling equipment. While the cost of the disk and cartridge is relatively inconsequential, the data stored thereon is often invaluable, and if defaced and destroyed by such contact could seriously impair a data processing system. The present invention is designed to alleviate or eliminate such destructive contact while facilitating access to, and manipulation of, a stack of such disks.
Such flexible disk packs are here contemplated as "partitioned" normal to the disk surfaces (i.e., "endwise") in various ways--e.g., by mechanical probes (such as shown in FIGS. 5, 6), or by air jets sent through certain selected bores in the disks and/or intervening spacers, or by other pneumatic impulses conducted through a center-shaft disposed centrally of the pack. The disks are described as embodying magnetic record information (e.g., for computers, entertainment, music, etc.) although they may, in certain cases, contain other information (e.g., analog recordings), and need not be magnetic. In any case, the subject jacket means will be seen as providing "dynamic containment" for such a disk pack, accommodating pack-rotation and such "endwise partitioning" and other, related disk manipulation, such as head-insertion, whether or not the disks and jacket are partition-apertured.
Moreover, in one embodiment, such jacket means will be seen as compatible with relatively conventional disks and cartridges (e.g., for single floppy or for pack which is "side-wise partitionable")--being made to accommodate automatic identifying means (e.g., provided with identity aperture means as in FIGS. 7, 8, adapted to cooperate with associated recognition means (e.g., see FIG. 10 description) whereby equipment handling the subject multi-disk cartridges may also be adapted to handle conventional cartridges. Also, the subject improved jacket means will be adapted to be fixedly positioned in an associated drive unit to be held so, nonrotatingly, while the disks are manipulated.
With the increased popularity of "floppy disk" media, it becomes especially important to provide cartridges which are readily manipulated and transported as "unit records", which are "interchangeable" and which are compatible with relatively simple conventional disk handling equipment. Such "unit record handling" is of high advantage in todays data processing and has led to widespread use of the "floppy disk". Such removable media affords such advantages as the ability to exchange data-set libraries readily available data-set backup for security, and a versatility allowing interchange of data records between various disk file equipment. A lightweight, compact "floppy disk pack" provides a computer record which may be conveniently mailed between stations using ordinary delivery services (e.g., postal services) yet one which is preferably self-sealing against dirt intrusion.
The present invention is directed toward providing improved jacket means for flexible disk records adapted to meet the foregoing problems and objectives, while yet maintaining the convenience of a removable floppy disk pack as a convenient unit record file.
The present invention overcomes the foregoing and other disadvantages of prior art structures and methods and provides the mentioned and other features and advantages according to a novel design.
The foregoing and other features, objects and advantages according to the present invention will be more fully appreciated and become more apparent under consideration of the following description of preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements.